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Girls Bravo
Tokyopop Chuang Yi | demographic = Shōnen | magazine = Shōnen Ace | first = 2000 | last = 2005 | volumes = 10 | volume_list = }} Funimation Entertainment | network = Fuji Television (1st season), WOWOW (2nd season) | first = July 6, 2004 | last = April 21, 2005 | episodes = 24 }} | genre = Dating sim, Visual novel | ratings = CERO: 15 | platforms = PlayStation 2 }} is a Japanese ''shōnen manga series written and illustrated by Mario Kaneda and serialized in 2000 to 2005 in Shōnen Ace by Kadokawa Shoten. The story focuses on a young high school student who is kicked into a bathtub and transported to a mysterious world with a mostly female population. Girls Bravo was directed by Ei Aoki and animated by AIC. The series was made into an anime in 2004, with a second season made in 2005. There are 24 episodes total. The anime series was released in English by Geneon, and the manga was released in English by Tokyopop. A visual novel was also released for the PlayStation 2. In July 2010, Funimation Entertainment released a statement on their Twitter feed confirming that they have licensed Girls Bravo. Plot Yukinari Sasaki is an average high school student who was teased and bullied by girls to the point that he developed an allergic reaction, breaking out in hives whenever he comes into contact with a female. One day, when he returns home from school, he gets kicked into his bathtub by Kirie Kojima, his neighbor, and is transported to "Seiren", a mysterious world with a mostly female population. While Seiren is featured in several episodes of the anime, most of the series takes place in Japan. Characters Major characters * : :: Yukinari is the main protagonist of Girls Bravo. Because of his small stature and generally meek disposition, Yukinari has been bullied by girls his entire life and therefore suffers an allergic reaction that causes him to break out in hives whenever he comes into contact with a woman. One day, he is knocked into his bathtub and is transported to the alien world of Seiren, a planet where men comprise less than 10% of the population. Upon arriving in Seiren, Yukinari meets a young girl named Miharu who for some reason does not cause him to break out on contact. Yukinari has a bad habit of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. This, along with other 'close encounters', gets him kicked, punched, and otherwise beaten up by Kirie. He lives alone in the anime. * : :: Miharu is a pink-haired resident of Seiren who pulled Yukinari into her world and later followed him back to Earth to live with him. She has a mark on her forehead shaped like three dots in a triangle, which provides her with several powers, such as the ability to transfer between Seiren and Earth, and the power to create explosions whenever she is in emotional distress. She is also the only woman who can touch Yukinari without triggering his allergy. Miharu has an outrageous appetite and an impossibly rapid metabolism. She spends most of the series questioning her friends whether something is edible or not (like butterflies), and her continuous misunderstandings about Earth (such as believing that April Fools' Day means that everyone on Earth lies for one day) is the title's primary source of humor. Despite this, she has a heart of gold, an explorer's fascination with Earth and a genuinely open affection for Yukinari. She is an extremely innocent girl who does not show any discomfort with being partially or fully naked in front of Yukinari, and she does not lose her temper even when made the target of Fukuyama's lecherous actions, unless in the process he eats or otherwise ruins whatever she happens to be eating at the time. * : :: Kirie is Yukinari's neighbor and classmate who takes care of him from time to time. She is especially well-endowed, which makes her a natural target for Kazuharu Fukuyama's perverted actions. However, due to her physical aptitude and martial-arts abilities, she always manages to turn the tables on him. She also sometimes punishes Yukinari for his 'perverted' actions, although they are accidental on Yukinari's part. Kirie accidentally sends Yukinari to his first arrival into Seiren when she slugs him for unintentionally peeping on her when her shower was not working correctly and she used Yukinari's instead, which led him to fall into the bathtub. Despite their somewhat turbulent relationship, it is hinted many times that she has much deeper feelings for Yukinari, and possibly towards Fukuyama, describing him as 'my type of idiot' in the final episode. Because of her strong character, Kirie seems to attract a large number of admirers among the boys in her high school. In the anime, she also attracts female admirers, specifically Kosame and Hijiri, much to her chagrin, although in the manga, Kirie was accosted by an alternate version of Lisa when she entered a parallel world through an enchanted mirror in Fukuyama's house. A running joke throughout the series is Kirie's complete lack of cooking skills which result in the creation of food that's not only inedible but hazardous as well. In fact, Fukuyama once ate a bento lunch prepared by her and fell ill. Kirie suffers an overwhelming fear of ghosts and the paranormal, and despite her tomboyish character enjoys collecting dolls. * : :: Fukuyama is a classmate of Yukinari and Kirie and the main anti-hero of Girls Bravo. Fukuyama is rich, powerful, and perverted and while he often chases girls and picks on Yukinari (who he nicknames "chibi-nari", or "puny-nari" in the English dub) he does show a serious, caring side in critical situations. He is a severe androphobe to the point that he's developed an allergy that causes him to break out with a rash whenever he comes into contact with another male. Extremely stealthful, he has the ability to suddenly appear without the others noticing until he announces his presence, whereupon he either gropes or strips the girls of their clothing, which always earns him a severe beating from Kirie. Despite his own lecherous behavior, Fukuyama is highly protective of his younger sister, Lisa, and strongly objects to her affections for Yukinari. * : :: Lisa is Fukuyama's slightly insane younger sister. Lisa is a master of black magic, which has caused more than a few problems throughout the series (infesting her family's mansion with ghosts, summoning a giant octopus in the school swimming pool, causing an explosion within a shopping center). Lisa is constantly accompanied by Hayate and Kosame, who cater to her every whim such as gathering intelligence or even kidnapping. She develops an infatuation for Yukinari after his appearance matches a description in her horoscope for her soul mate and often employs her magic to get closer to him—with predictably disastrous results. Although she considers Miharu a rival, she is very fond of Ebi, who reminds her of the pet cat she owned when she was a little girl. In the anime, Ebi's girl form reminds her of the beloved doll she used to spend her days with, which she was reunited with later on in the series. * : :: Koyomi is a resident of Seiren who suffers a paralyzing fear of men. Her phobia is only made worse by being one of Fukuyama's favorite targets; in the manga, this results in her keeping a diary of the many times he has accosted her. Originally sent to Earth on a mission from the Space Travel Agency to 'retrieve' Miharu, she later moves into Yukinari's house on a prolonged mission to find a husband for Maharu. However, her fear of men makes the act of even talking to a man nearly impossible. In the anime, Koyomi is also searching for her long-lost father, a native of Earth, whom she later reunites with at the series' end. Koyomi's favorite pastime is reading, and she has a natural talent for table tennis. In the anime she's even won the Seiren tournament five years in a row. Koyomi's mother possessed a Seikon mark like Miharu, and Koyomi herself possesses a dormant form of Seikon, which allowed her to create a portal to Seiren after Miharu was kidnapped in the anime. Koyomi, in the anime, also adopts a large python as a pet after being tricked into wearing it over herself during Fukuyama's Cosplay Mahjong game, which is ironic considering her fear of men and snakes being a phallic symbol. * : :: Tomoka is a resident of Seiren who was sent to aid Koyomi in finding Maharu a groom after her less than productive efforts. Although a child, Tomoka deeply resents being treated as one and insists that she is as mature as anyone else, despite frequent actions by her which prove otherwise. Unlike the other female characters, she gets along fairly well with Fukuyama, whom she refers to as "big-brother," and the two occasionally team up to obtain some mutual objective. In the anime, Tomoka frequently uses Ebi as a makeshift club for hitting almost anything and anyone. Tomoka can also use transformation magic, and in the anime becomes friends with Lisa after conceding defeat in a magical duel. She is also obsessed with Poyon, her favorite TV show character. Because she is a child, Tomoka is able to have contact with Yukinari without triggering his female allergy. She also looks up to Kirie as a "big-sister" ("onee-chan" in the original dub). For example, she follows Kirie's example of drop-kicking Fukuyama right in the face. In the manga, Tomoka is later revealed to be a genius capable of instantly answering a complex math equation from a college entrance exam. * : :: Ebi is a rare and magical creature from Seiren. Ebi, in the manga, was accidentally summoned by Miharu during a bath, whereas in the anime, she was accidentally brought to Earth in Tomoka's luggage. In both versions, Miharu adopts him as a pet, although in the anime he originally wondered if Ebi would taste good. She resembles a plump miniature seal with the face of a cat and a pair of large bobbing antenna, which causes Miharu to claim she resembles a shrimp and is where her name came from (ebi being the Japanese word for shrimp). Ebi in the anime suffers a great deal of torment at the hands of Tomoka, who uses her as a flail, fishing bait, a handball, etc. On one occasion, Tomoka transformed Ebi into a small green-haired girl to show off her magical knowledge, although in the manga Tomoka only did it briefly, as Yukinari and Kirie paid more attention to the transformed Ebi than to her. Ebi is surprisingly intelligent, and during a Mahjong match in the anime, he thought through the entire play in her mind. However, Tomoka was a novice and Ebi could not speak human language, rendering her plan fruitless. Ebi in the anime is also able to shoot a powerful beam attack (called the E-beam by Tomoka) from her mouth. Minor characters * : :: Maharu is Miharu's well-endowed older sister. She is very determined and won't hesitate to use violence to get her way. Although initially jealous of Miharu's relationship with Yukinari, she later accepts their relationship. Much to Yukinari's dismay, that does not stop her from flirting and fondling him whenever she gets a chance. Due to Seiren's low male population and the fact that she is close to 30, Maharu assigns both Koyomi and Tomoka to find a man of her own on Earth. Though flirtatious, she is, in fact, quite picky by Seiren standards, rejecting Fukuyama immediately upon discovering his perverted nature. In the end of the anime, she asks Hayate if he would like to get married, but an answer was not given. * : :: Hayate is one of Lisa's attendants. While he only makes a handful of appearances in the manga, Hayate in the anime forms a strong rivalry/friendship with Tomoka, and the two occasionally battle one another in friendly duels. Hayate is a very calm, loyal, and serious individual who will go to great lengths for his mistress, Lisa; this usually involves doing some sort of research or private investigating. Tomoka nicknames him "ninja" because of his stealthy ways, only revealing himself when attending to Lisa, or to attack. * : :: Kosame is Lisa's second attendant. She has only a small role in the manga but in the anime. After a battle with Kirie, she becomes attracted to her. Her obsession is so strong that just being in Kirie's presence is enough to make Kosame either grope or make some other pass at her, which usually requires Hayate to rein her in. When not fawning over Kirie, Kosame is as stoic a figure as Hayate and frequently uses her gun to either pry information out of others or to force them into doing her bidding. In the anime she is also a considerably stronger fighter than Kirie. * : :: Mamoru is a classmate of Yukinari's who is obsessed with cleanliness and dons an alter-ego, Lightning Squadron Mamo Ranger, (a parody of Super Sentai or Power Rangers in the US) in the pursuit of his passion, although at first glance his 'squadron' consists of only him. Extremely accident prone, he tends to cause more problems than he solves, whereupon his deluded sense of reality causes him to blame his "villainous opponents." In the manga, he later drafts the others into the Mamo Rangers, although they want absolutely nothing to do with it. In the anime, Mamoru becomes an apprentice to Lilica which turns him from a mild annoyance into a serious threat to public safety. * : :: Lilica is the Fukuyamas' chief maid. She has fought in military operations in Bosnia, Somalia, Chechnya, and Afghanistan. Lilica is highly intelligent and is often seen with a laptop, which serves various purposes, such as operating the mechanical devices within the Fukuyama mansion and deploying surveillance software from a spy satellite orbiting Earth. (This is how Fukuyama constantly finds Koyomi and the others.) She is stoic and polite, even when Kirie destroys some expensive equipment. However, she shows shock when Kirie and Yukinari introduce themselves as Fukuyama's friends. In the anime, Lilica places Mamoru Machida as an apprentice after being impressed by his desire to clean the world. She is also occasionally hinted to be in love with Fukuyama. * : :: Nanae is Koyomi and Tomoka's superior in the Space Travel Agency. Nanae is in charge of the missing persons department and assigns agents to find and retrieve residents of Seiren who have accidentally been transported to Earth. She helps Maharu contact Yukinari so that the others can rescue Miharu at the end of the anime. * : :: Hijiri is a very strict teacher at Yukinari's high school. In the anime, she was actually a spy for Yukina, whose mission was to observe and eventually kidnap Miharu. Hijiri had been obsessed with Miharu since they were both children, and Yukina promised to give Miharu to her in exchange for helping her achieve her goals. After being defeated by Kirie, however, Hijiri forgets about Miharu and begins to obsess over Kirie instead, something that neither Fukuyama nor Kosame took very lightly. * : :: Yukina is the ruthless head of Seiren's Space Management Bureau's Special Forces Division, who also has the power of Seikon like Miharu and Koyomi. Because of her slight build and her Seikon markings that completely cover her body, Yukina felt that no man would ever love her and thus developed a condition that causes her to break out in hives upon contact with men, similar to Yukinari and his allergy to women (hence her name being similar to his). Her illness and anti-masculine prejudices are what cause Yukina to determine that if she could not be loved by men then no one in Seiren would. At the end of the series, Yukina has her lieutenant Hijiri kidnap Miharu and bring her back to Seiren, so Yukina could steal Miharu's power and use it to permanently seal the gateway to Earth and make Seiren a "women-only paradise". But after being shown kindness by Yukinari, Yukina returns Miharu and even falls in love with Yukinari. Later, Miharu notices Yukina snuggling with Yukinari, whose allergic reaction has returned, and Yukina declares that he is her "one true love" and that she will "never leave him". * The Boss :: The Boss is an anime exclusive character. The Boss is a tall and heavy set man of few words dressed in a Hawaiian shirt and is usually accompanied by a loud-mouthed sidekick in a blue leisure suit. He and his companion cross Yukinari and the others' paths throughout the series, but the Boss does not speak until after Miharu is kidnapped. He then helps Yukinari realize that the only way to get Miharu back is to fight for her with everything he has got. When his sidekick later asks why he never spoke before, the Boss shrugs and replies that he simply never had anything to say. * Mrs. Sasaki :: Mrs. Sasaki is Yukinari's mother who appears only in the manga. As Yukinari keeps Miharu a secret from her, Mrs. Sasaki begins to fear that the strange occurrences in her house were due to a ghost, but eventually decides not to worry about it since all the "ghost" did was eat all the food. She later leaves Yukinari to be with his father, who is on a business trip. * Hakana : :: Hakana is a ghost who appears at Fukuyama's private hot spring when Yukinari and the others visit it. Her actual name is only mentioned in the credits. She was attacked by a pervert one night, and died when she slipped and hit her head while chasing him. Now she wants to cross on to the afterlife, but to do so, she must fulfill her revenge against a pervert. Yukinari, the dubbed pervert in question, gets nominated to fondle her while she inhabits one of the girls. Lisa attempts to be the host, but it fails, and Kirie gets possessed instead. Kirie's subconscious tries to resist the groping, and Hakana realizes it was because of her feelings for him. Then, the two hug, and Hakana passes on. Media Manga Written and illustrated by Mario Kaneda, the manga was originally serialized in 2000 in Kadokawa Shoten's Shonen Ace magazine and has since been released in 10 tankōbon volumes. The first volume was published and released in Japan by Kadokawa Shoten on June 27, 2001 and the last volume was released on April 9, 2005. In English the series was released by Tokyopop. Book one was released in September 2005 with the last book being released in December 2007. The series has also been licensed in Europe and Asia. In Europe, the series was published in French by Pika Édition and in German by Carlson Comics. In Asia, the series was published in English by Chuang Yi. Anime An anime adaptation of the manga was directed by Ei Aoki and produced by AIC. Broadcasted on Fuji TV, it began airing in Japan on July 6, 2004 and ran until September 28, 2004, spanning 11 episodes. Two pieces of theme music were used in the series. "Going My Way", sung by Yozuca*, is the opening theme. "Koko ni Iru kara" performed by Miyuki Hashimoto is the ending theme. In Japan, the series was released across six Region 2 DVD compilation volumes. Geneon Entertainment also licensed the series for an English-language dubbed release. AIC produced a second anime television series, directed by Ei Aoki. Broadcast on WOWOW, it premiered on January 27, 2005, and ran weekly until its conclusion on April 21, 2005, spanning 13 episodes. "Ever After" performed by Yozuca* is the opening theme. "And Then..." performed by Miyuki Hashimoto is the ending theme. The series was released across seven Region 2 DVD compilations in Japan. Geneon also licensed the series for an English-language dubbed release. List of episodes Season one Season two Video game Kadokawa Shoten published a video game based on the series for the PlayStation 2 in 2005, entitled . The game received a CERO rating of "15 up". References External links * [http://www.fujitv.co.jp/b_hp/girlsbravo/ Fuji TV's Girls Bravo site (first season)] * * Category:Anime of 2004 Category:Anime of 2005 Category:Bishōjo games Category:Fantasy anime and manga Category:Funimation Entertainment Category:Geneon Category:Harem anime and manga Category:Japan-exclusive video games Category:Lantis Category:Manga of 2000 Category:Shōnen manga Category:Tokyopop titles Category:Visual novels de:Girls Bravo es:Girls Bravo it:Girls Bravo ja:GIRLSブラボー pl:Girls Bravo pt:Girls Bravo ru:Girls Bravo tl:Girls Bravo zh:女孩萬歲